In this webinar, Nicolás Caso presents research examining the reach and effectiveness of migration information campaigns aimed at shaping migration decision-making. These campaigns - often designed to discourage irregular migration and the use of migrant smugglers - have become an increasingly common policy tool. Yet questions remain about how widely they are encountered, how they are interpreted by potential migrants, and whether they actually influence migration aspirations.
Drawing on large-scale survey data covering almost 13,000 young adults in 25 local communities across 10 countries in Africa and Asia, the study provides a broad comparative perspective on how migration information circulates in diverse contexts. The presentation explores variations in exposure to migration-related messages, how individuals perceive these messages, and the extent to which warnings about migration risks affect migration intentions.
The findings reveal substantial variation in exposure to migration information campaign - from very limited reach in some areas to near saturation in others. Importantly, the study shows that warnings against migration rarely reduce migration aspirations and, in some cases, may even be associated with a stronger desire to migrate. The webinar offers an opportunity to critically reflect on the role of information campaigns within broader migration and development dynamics, and their implications for migration policy.
Nicolás Caso is a PhD Fellow in Economics and Health Sciences at Ghent University and the United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS). His research focuses on migration and its drivers, with particular attention to the development implications of disasters, conflict, and constrained migration aspirations. Before joining Ghent University, he worked as a Research Assistant at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) Migration Centre, contributing to major projects such as MIGNEX and FUMI. In this seminar, he presents findings based on MIGNEX survey data.
